Custom Home Design by Nina Lichtenstein, Thornwood, NY (2026)

06/16/2026

Pleased to be featured in Homes & Gardens Magazine highlighting Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s cream living room and the return of warm, earthy neutrals.

As cooler grays and stark whites continue to give way to softer, more welcoming nature-inspired palettes, spaces like this show why comfort, warmth, and a sense of ease never go out of style.

Thank you to the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes and Gardens Magazine.

Click the link below or head to my stories to read the full article:

https://www.homesandgardens.com/celebrity-style/kevin-bacon-kyra-sedgwick-cream-living-room

Westchester, NY - Custom Home Design by Nina
Homes & Gardens
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06/15/2026

What do I even say now?

Oh man. The pressure.

First there were six tiny baby bunnies.

Then there was Mike Brown.

I feel like the universe set the bar a little high this week.

Guys, I might be letting you down today. How exactly am I supposed to follow that? 😂

But this is what I can tell you…

Going through life with this feeling of constant serendipity is unlike anything else.

There are stretches where it happens so often that I start half-expecting something unexpected around every corner. Then enough time passes, I settle back into everyday life, focused on work, family, deadlines, errands, and all the normal things.

And then life taps me on the shoulder and reminds me to pay attention.

Because this was a week that included both six baby bunnies and Mike Brown.

Not exactly a combination I saw coming.

To be fair, my husband David and I have crossed paths with our share of animals and celebrities over the years thanks to a mix of our careers, world travels, and a surprising amount of serendipity.

There was the time we wandered into a nearly empty thrift store in New York City and somehow ended up shopping with Keanu Reeves, who was hunting for combat boots. We were the only three people in the store.

David tried on a yellow zip-up with bold black stripes down the sleeves and asked him, “What do you think, man? Could I rock a little Game of Death?”

Keanu took a step back, paused, took it all in, and replied:

“Yeahman, you can totally DO that.”(Peep Keanu in the background of the third photo. 👀)

And somehow, even after experiences like that, it never gets old.

Maybe it’s because the people are interesting. Maybe it’s because the stories are interesting. Or maybe it’s because I’m endlessly fascinated by the unlikely chain of events that brings two complete strangers into the same place at the same time.

Whatever the reason, I still get a kick out of it every single time.

At this point, I’m giving full credit to my flower power shoes.

What started as one pair has somehow grown into several pairs. Coincidence? Maybe.
(CONTINUED IN COMMENTS 1/2 ⬇️)

06/14/2026

Everybody stop and stare… well, that’s what I did anyway. 😍

Take a peek at these baby bunnies that have made a home in our best friends’ backyard. They started out as literal newborns looking like tiny hairless rats, and now they’ve transformed into the most adorable little hoppers imaginable.

This was my first time seeing them this week. My oldest daughter and I walked over with her best friend to see if we could spot them, and there they were, all six of them cuddled together on a small circular patch of bare earth beside the entrance to what appeared to be their secret underground bunny kingdom.

Up until that moment, everyone thought there were only four or five bunnies. Seeing all six together was a first for everyone, including our friends, and we felt incredibly lucky to witness it, as though nature had briefly pulled back the curtain and allowed us a glimpse into one of its best-kept secrets.

We stood there quietly, whispering our amazement and adoration, oohing and aahing as they hopped in and out of their tunnel, climbed over one another, snuggled together, and generally melted our hearts. I added a leaf for size reference because it’s honestly hard to believe how tiny they are. They’re so small you could accidentally step on one if you didn’t know it was there.

We have baby bunnies living under our own deck, complete with an impressive network of tunnels, but we’ve never seen any this small. These little guys are so tiny that our friends postponed having landscapers come and have been carefully keeping their dogs out of the yard to make sure no harm comes to them.

It was hard to leave.

A few days later, we went back to look for them again, but by then they had started to disperse and venture out on their own. Growing up already, I guess. Apparently their mom only visits at dawn and dusk, which somehow makes the whole thing even more amazing.

What a special treat it was to witness these little cuties during this brief chapter of their lives.

Now go ahead and guess…

How many times do you think my daughter has asked for a baby bunny since laying eyes on them? 😂🐰

06/14/2026

Hey Playland chaperones…

We outlasted all of you.

That’s not boasting. That’s more of a “what the heck were we thinking?” 😂

Yesterday I helped chaperone the fifth-grade field trip to Playland. Teaming up with one of my best friends, our daughters, and another of their besties, we conquered boat rides, cotton candy, Icees, salted pretzels, sweat, sweat, and more sweat in a casual 92-degree heat wave.

And yes, the adults rode the rides too.

Highlights included the bumper cars, where one collision felt less like an amusement park attraction and more like an actual insurance claim. I fully expected to wake up black and blue the next morning.

Then came The Dragon Coaster.

Throughout the day, Lilou’s friends sweetly encouraged her to try her first “real” roller coaster, at one point carefully explaining every drop and exactly what it would feel like. When she finally decided to do it, I figured I should go too, just in case.

It was my first roller coaster in years, so I was equal parts excited and nervous. I mean, this thing appears to be running on a wooden structure comprised of aged lumber that has been patched, repaired, and patched again. Some sections looked like they were replaced sometime between my childhood and yesterday. The whole ride felt one inspection away from becoming a historical landmark and one strong gust of wind away from sending all of us into the history books. 😂

She loved it so much she immediately wanted another ride, then another, then another.

Honestly? So did I, so we made that our last ride of the day together.

Then there was Crash-a-Wave, which appears peaceful from the ground and is, in fact, a lie. Stomachs dropped.

But the biggest surprise was The Mouse.

The name sounds adorable. The little car looks adorable.

Nothing about the actual ride is adorable.

And even Lilou got on without thinking twice because she’s been on it in the past.

I wasn’t even planning to ride it until a little girl was turned away because she needed a partner. I volunteered.

Fun mistake. Really fun, actually.
(CONTINUED IN COMMENTS ⬇️)

06/10/2026

And now for a message from today’s sponsor… which, in this case, is also me. 😂

Cue the commercial break. No remote required.

This is your reminder to grab a snack while I briefly interrupt the usual mix of design projects, interviews, collaborations, road trips, and trees.

We’ll be back shortly with the occasional questionable life decision and other regularly scheduled Nina content. 📺😂

I’m sharing this story because in an age where AI can make us look polished, efficient, and perfectly put together, I think it’s important to remember that it’s still okay to be human.

Humans make mistakes. Sometimes spectacular ones.

And if my latest travel booking adventure provides a little entertainment at my expense, even better. 😂

This particular lesson began on May 28, when I excitedly booked my flight to Amsterdam through Travelocity on Delta to attend the Mind-Body-Space Global Symposium.

Dream come true.

A few minutes later, I realized I had completely failed to account for the time change and had booked myself to arrive a day after my hotel reservation began. A strong start. A truly impressive achievement considering I have visited 42 countries and 7 territories.

I immediately went online and changed the departure flight, carefully selecting the option to apply the change to that flight only.

Travelocity apparently interpreted this as, “Cancel everything.”

So while I successfully fixed my arrival date, I also accidentally eliminated my return flight and found myself in possession of a one-way ticket to Amsterdam.

As appealing as an extended European adventure sounded, I eventually decided I should probably come home.

To make matters worse, my efforts to save the trip had somehow succeeded only in making it more expensive, because two one-way tickets cost more than the original round-trip ticket.

So I called Delta.
(CONTINUED IN COMMENTS ⬇️)

06/09/2026

Pleased to be featured in Homes & Gardens Magazine highlighting Keke Palmer’s skillful approach to pattern layering.

Her home is a great reminder that mixing mural wallpaper, patterned rugs, and other decorative elements can feel whimsical and full of personality while still maintaining a refined, cohesive look.

Thank you to the writers and editors of Homes and Gardens Magazine.

Click the link below to read the full article:

https://www.homesandgardens.com/celebrity-style/keke-palmer-pattern-layering

06/08/2026

Mental Health Awareness Month may be behind us.

The need for kindness, compassion, healing, and human connection is not.

The truth is that we rarely know what someone else is carrying.

Some people are navigating grief. Some are battling anxiety. Some are struggling with loneliness, trauma, addiction, depression, or circumstances we may never fully understand.

Many of the deepest battles are completely invisible.

That is why conversations about mental health matter.

And it is why thoughtful design matters, too.

For years, I have spoken about the power of biophilic and neuroaesthetic design to reduce stress, support well-being, foster social connection, and create environments that help people feel calmer, healthier, and more at ease.

Design is never neutral.

When done thoughtfully, it can be life-enhancing and even life-extending.

Our environments have the power to influence health, well-being, quality of life, and, over time, longevity.

Sometimes that means creating environments that reduce cognitive load, restore a sense of calm, and strengthen our connection to ourselves, one another, and the natural world.

Other times, it means protecting dignity, creating a sense of safety, supporting recovery, and helping people navigate some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

At its best, design can foster healing, inspire hope, and reinforce the belief that tomorrow can be better than today.

That is the vision behind this nature-inspired, ligature-resistant Transcend hardware, developed in collaboration with Accurate Lock & Hardware.

Because healing environments should not feel institutional.

They should feel human and communicate care, dignity, respect, and hope. They should remind us that even in spaces designed for crisis intervention, behavioral health, and recovery, beauty belongs. Nature belongs. Human dignity belongs.

Every detail sends a message.

This one says:

You matter.

Your life matters, your healing matters, and there are people who care about what happens next.
(CONTINUED IN COMMENTS ⬇️)

06/06/2026

Pleased to be featured in Homes & Gardens Magazine highlighting Miley Cyrus’s black-and-white kitchen and the design choices that keep it feeling fresh, modern, and far from predictable.

While black and white is often considered a timeless combination, layered textures, bold patterns, and thoughtfully selected details help give the space warmth, personality, and contemporary appeal.

Thank you to the writers and editors of Homes and Gardens Magazine.

Click the link below or head to my stories to read the full article:

https://www.homesandgardens.com/celebrity-style/miley-cyrus-black-and-white-kitchen

Custom Home Design by Nina Lichtenstein

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

06/10/2026

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